COUNCIL chiefs have recommended that no new landfill sites are opened up in Cambridgeshire and that more emphasis should be put on recycling. Cambridgeshire County Council s Cabinet are recommending that proposals for landfill sites at Block Fen, Mepal an

COUNCIL chiefs have recommended that no new landfill sites are opened up in Cambridgeshire and that more emphasis should be put on recycling.

Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet are recommending that proposals for landfill sites at Block Fen, Mepal and at Whittlesey should be rejected.

Instead of landfill councillors are recommending emphasis should be put on a network of modern recycling facilities to help deal with the 80 million tonnes of waste predicted to be produced over the next 15 years.

Government has asked Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council to put together a long-term strategy for dealing with mineral extraction and waste management.

Draft proposals for the preferred option plan were at discussed at Cambridgeshire County Council's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and follows an extensive public consultation.

A six week public consultation period will now be held in November when people can have their say on the preferred options.

The proposals include the creation of new Household Waste Recycling Centres near new developments and built, where possible, on already used land.

Proposals also include using construction waste, such as sub-soil, to re-instate worked quarries to improve landscaping and help create new wildlife habitats.

The draft recommendations follow a major public consultation involving representations from 2,600 people which raised around 5,800 issues.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services, said: "Creating more landfill sites is not an option for dealing with the growing waste mountain.

"Not only is it one of the least environmentally friendly options but costs the tax payer around £7 million a year. Cambridgeshire is the top shire for recycling in the country and if we are to reduce the amount of rubbish landfilled we must create more modern recycling facilities.

"This is just draft recommendations at the moment and we will want to hear the public's views when we launch a major six week consultation in November."

* Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Development Plan

Key Dates

* Preferred Options Consultation, November - December 2006

* Review of Plan in light of Consultation responses and consideration by members, January / August 2007

* Submitted Plan to Secretary of State, September / October 2007

* Public consultation on Submitted Plan, September / October 2007

* Examination in public by independent planning inspector May 2008

* Adoption, February 2009